Owners May Bounce Montreal
N E W Y O R K, July 14, 2000 -- Owners appeared set to put off realignment until
2002 and might even discuss getting rid of the Montreal Expos and
another team when they meet today.
Colorado owner Jerry McMorris first discussed so-calledcontraction a year ago, but commissioner Bud Selig played down theidea.
When asked the question on national TV last weekend, Selig said:“I don’t want to rule anything out today, because there’s noquestion that we do have to solve that problem, because (disparity)is getting worse by the day.”
Economic Study
Owners gather today to receive the sport’s latest economicstudy report, and to be briefed on the format of next year’sschedule and the negotiations for new national TV contracts.
While contraction may not be on the formal agenda, two owners,speaking on the condition they not be identified, said the idea isbeing given increased attention by team heads because of Montreal’sinability to get a new ballpark and probably will be discussed inthe hallways.
“It is being taken more seriously,” McMorris said Thursdaynight. “It’s just because of disparity and how do we find our wayout of difficult situations.”
If the major leagues ever decide to shrink, its central fund,which gets money from national broadcasting and licensingcontracts, could be used to buy back the Expos along with one otherteam, one of the owners said.
“If we disappear, they’re going to have to come up with anotherclub that could produce as many Guerreros and Martinezes andWalkers,” Expos manager Felipe Alou said, referring to ValdimirGuerrero, Pedro Martinez and Larry Walker, who became stars inMontreal.
“We’ve heard all kinds of stuff in the last two years about usand about baseball, so nothing surprises me,” Alou said.
Death Blow for Another Team?
While there is no obvious choice for a second team, Florida,Minnesota and Oakland have failed to get new ballparks, and TampaBay has seen a large decrease in attendance.
As for realignment, Texas had been pushing hardest in order toget out of the AL West. But the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City andMinnesota were against the plan to place six teams in the ALCentral and just four in the AL East and AL West.
In addition, Arizona objected to the plan, under which it wouldmove from the NL West to the AL West.
Selig, several owners said, does not appear ready to call for avote on realignment any time soon, effectively putting it off untilthe 2002 season at the earliest.
“Nothing seriously has been debated in the last few months,”Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane said. “I think most likelysignificant realignment will be put off a year.”
The two owners who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmedMcLane’s assessment that no realignment would take place for 2001.
Schedule Changes
The one change owners will hear today is the format for nextseason’s schedule: Teams will play division rivals 18 times eachinstead of 12 or 13.
And in another new twist, the Astros and Texas Rangers will meetin interleague play for the first time.
“We’re the last natural rivals who haven’t played yet,” McLanesaid.
On Thursday, owners on the executive council met and discussedtoday’s agenda, which includes the report of the “Blue RibbonTask Force on Baseball Economics,” appointed by Selig on Jan. 13,1999.
The committee’s four outside members—former Senate MajorityLeader George Mitchell, former Federal Reserve board chairman PaulVolcker, Yale president Richard Levin and political commentatorGeorge Will—are set to appear before owners today and then holda news conference to discuss their findings.